


I'll Sing for You

by melancholie



Category: Astoria: Fate's Kiss, Labyrinths of Astoria (Visual Novel), Lovestruck - Fandom
Genre: Declarations Of Love, First Person, Forbidden Love, Heartache, Love Confessions, Other, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-08 13:56:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12865959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melancholie/pseuds/melancholie
Summary: Based on the scene where Alex agrees to sing at MC's wedding to Medusa but instead MC asks them in advance to plan a song. (This is essentially instead of the elevator scene.) Medusa isn't actually in it but she's referenced.





	1. Lullaby

When I asked Alex if they’d sing at Medusa and my wedding I wasn’t even sure that they’d agree so I’m beyond surprised when they ask me to if I want to meet them after work to go over what songs I might like. I’m certainly not opposed though. 

“Sure, that’d be wonderful. You really don’t need to go to all that trouble though, Alex, it doesn’t need to be that big of a thing.”

“It’s my pleasure, I’m very happy for you.” 

“Well, thank you then. You have a list or something? We could get coffee and go over it?” 

“Actually,” I think it’s my imagination but a blush crosses their cheeks for a moment, “I wanted to you to hear them for you. There’s a karaoke bar I’m fond of near here.”

“That sounds like a wonderful night out, let’s do it.”

———————

Their set list is perfect, filled with both romantic songs that I’ve long adored and others that I’ve never heard but are perfect fits and warm my heart. I shouldn’t be surprised; they’ve known me longer than anyone except Josh. And they’re Aphrodite’s child, of course they have a knack for the romantic. I have no idea how I’m going to choose. 

We’re getting down towards the end of the list when another song I don’t recognize comes on. As with the others, I try to imagine dancing to it with Medusa but the image can’t stick in my head. The words don’t fit right. I can’t see her face.

I see Alex’s. 

To be honest, it’s not the first time this evening. I’ve pushed it out of my head everytime, refused to acknowledge it, focused on my fiancee. I dismissed this long ago. But somehow, right now, with these words, it’s not dismissible. 

I suddenly realize the songs almost over and I’ve been avoiding eye contact with Alex the entire time. I look up and meet their eyes and the look there hits me hard in the chest.

I stand up from my place on the sofa. “Alex.” My voice shakes a little bit and they stop in the middle of a lyric. Neither of us says anything else and the last of the song fades into silence. 

After several long moments I manage to find words again, “How did you pick this one?”

They open their mouth to say something but nothing comes out. 

“Alex. Please.”

A flush crosses their face and they close their eyes. “It just … always reminded me of you.”

I bite my lip and take a deep breath. “How ... how long is always?”

They open their eyes again and I’m surprised to see something that looks like pain there, “Are you asking about the song or the feeling?”

“The feeling.”

“Since you came to work for H.E.R.A. But on some level, as long as I've known you.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“Because I knew you didn’t feel the same way. I'm your boss and more than that I couldn't bear to risk our friendship.” 

“Gods, Alex, of course I felt the same way. I’ve had a crush on you forever. Everyone knew that. Josh and May teased me for years. You had to know that.”

The shock on their face is undeniable.

“ I... didn’t. I had no idea.” They pause for a moment the sound of both our breathing hanging heavy in the air. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Are you kidding me? You’re Alex Cyprin. You’re a fucking demigod, Aphrodite's golden child. You held more prestige than I can ever imagine by the time you were fifteen. And if that wasn’t enough … just look at yourself, Alex. You’re gorgeous. That doesn’t even cover it. Look at your desk on Valentine’s day. And I’m me. I never stood a chance. I always knew that. I was always painfully aware.” My voice breaks a bit on the last sentence and I turn away so they don’t see the tears prick at the corners of my eyes. 

Alex takes a step forward and their voice is softer, warmer, “You stood far more than a chance. I would have moved heaven and earth for you. I still would.”

I look up and my eyes meet there’s. It’s the same undeniable look I’d caught in their eyes when they were singing. 

“Alex,” my voice catches again “I’m getting married, I-”

They blink quickly, their previous look quickly replaced by something else. “No, I know, of course. That’s not what I … please know that’s not what I intended at all here. I agreed to sing because you asked and I want your wedding to be everything you ever imagined … I want you to be happy, more than anything. I know you’re in love with Medusa, I know you’re getting married, I know you’ve moved on. I’m not trying to-”

“That’s the thing though,” suddenly my shoulders feel really heavy and I sink back down into the sofa, “I didn’t move on, Alex. Or I guess maybe in some sense I did. I made myself let the foolish dream go and find someone else that made me happy. And Medusa does, I do love her, yes, but,” my eyes finally meet Alex’s again and I see them lined with a mixture of fatigue, pain, and perhaps hope, “but its not the same, it's not like you not even close. I never got over you. I’m still in love with you and I’m sure I always will be. As hard as I try to ignore it, as hard as I’ve tried to make it go away. And now…”

I don’t know how to finish that sentence and the tears are pricking the corners of my eyes again so I drop my head into my hands.

“Can I sit?” I look up to realize they’ve walked over to stand next to me. I nod and they take a seat on the couch beside me. I want to look away again but can’t break their gaze. 

“I’ll do whatever you want. I can pretend like this conversation never happened and we can go back to the way we were. I can leave you alone, give you as much space as you need. Or …” Their voice trails off with the suggestion and there’s several long moments filled with nothing but the sound of our breaths, both abnormally fast. I bite my lip and close my eyes. “Just tell me what you want and you’ll have it.”

“I don’t know,” I say, eyes still closed. A moment passes and they fly open and I reach over, grasping Alex’s hands in mine. Their breath catches, fingers tightening around mine, a restrained but hopeful look in their eyes. “That’s a lie. Of course I know. You. I want you. But I can’t ... I’m getting married ... I can’t do that to Medusa.” I drop their hands tears burning at my eyes, falling for real this time. 

Several minutes of heavy silence pass before I can speak again. “I need to go. I’m not making a decision, I just need to think.” I meet their eyes again, “Can we talk again, later?”

“Of course, anything you need.”

I nod and slip out of the karaoke bar, heart pounding in my chest.


	2. Forever

It’s just after 3am and I’m emotionally exhausted. I should go home, sleep, wait until tomorrow, let my head clear. I’ve told myself this several times but here I am anyway. I press the bell and the door opens almost immediately. 

“You’re all wet,” Alex says, surprised. 

“Yeah, I … it started pouring pretty much the moment I got off the subway.”

“I hadn’t even noticed it started to rain. Come in, I’ll get you a towel or something.” 

“I ... I talked to Medusa, Alex.”

Alex pauses, their hand on the bedroom door frame, but they don’t turn back to face me. “What did you say?”

“That I found out someone I’ve always loved feels the same way.” Alex doesn’t respond, but I see their breath catch. “And before I even told her it was you she said that she knew. I think her actual words were ‘any fool can see the way you look at Cyprin, except Cyprin’.”

Alex laughs softly, finally turning and meeting my eyes. “Called out.”

I nod. “Yeah. I thought she’d be upset, you know, but she wasn’t at all. She said that if this - being with you - was what I wanted, she wouldn’t make me choose, not if you didn’t, that there was more than enough time to have with both of you.”

“Forever is a very long time. I imagine she understands that even better than I do.” Alex comes back across the room to stand in front of me again. “Is that what you want?”

“I … I love you both, but I know that’s not what you want-”

“Of course it’s what I want.”

“What?”

“You think I need an iron lock over every part of your heart to be happy? That’s not love, that’s a cage. I want you to be happy and I want to be around to enjoy it with you. That’s what matters.”

I’m not sure which of us moves but the next thing I know my lips are on Alex’s. My arms snake around their neck and theirs wrap around my waist pulling me even closer. They’re warm and the feel of their arms tight around me is beyond comforting. 

We pull apart just a bit and I laugh a little, “Sorry, I’m getting you all wet.” We’re so close that our lips brush together as I speak. Their guarded look is long gone, replaced by the same warmth from singing at the karaoke bar.

“I couldn’t care in the slightest.” And they pull me back in for another kiss.

———————

Later, after Alex encouraged me into a warm shower, I sit next to them in their bed, my head on their shoulder. Our hands are intertwined and they’re rubbing their thumb in soothing circles on mine.

“Alex?” I’m playing with the buttons on their vest, head resting on their shoulder.

“Mm?”

“What’s the closest you ever came? To telling me that you’re…”

“In love with you?” My breath catches in my throat. They’ve said it several times tonight, we both have, but it still feels unreal.

“Yes.” 

Alex lets out a soft laugh. “I’m not sure there’s one time that wins out. I came so close, so many times. When you were in the hospital, after that case … I was there, when you were still unconscious. They called me when they brought you in. And I - I didn’t want you to wake up alone.”

I lift my head from their shoulder to look at them and I’m surprised to see a flicker of tears in their eyes. “I never knew you were there.”

“I know. Medusa came back before you woke up. I left you together. I made the doctor’s call me every hour with updates until you woke up, but I thought you’d rather wake up to her than … me and an emotional confession I wouldn’t have been able to keep from spilling if I’d stayed.”

I roll over until I’m more on top of them than next to them and cup their face in my hands, “I wish you’d stayed. Gods, how I wish you’d stayed.” 

Their arms come tight around my waist pulling in me in for another kiss, this one harder and more passionate than any of the preceding ones. I shift so I am on top of them, straddling their lap, and my fingers clutch at the fabric of their shirt, pulling them closer if it's even possible. 

They brush a stray lock of hair back behind my hair, running a thumb lightly over my cheek. “Well, we’ll just have to make up for lost time won’t we? Fortunately, we have a very, very long time to do it.”

“Forever.”

**Author's Note:**

> The song I was thinking about for this is Lullaby by The Spill Canvas but it could really be million different love songs.


End file.
